The medium-sized general contractor, Otto Mühlherr Baugesellschaft mbH, from Küps-Tüschnitz in Upper Franconia, places great emphasis on digitalization. However, the focus is always on people. The managing partner Peter Heinz doesn’t want to simply impose the software on employees but rather convince them of its benefits. Following this principle, the general contractor introduced various functions of 123onsite.
Digitalization in a construction company can begin in very different ways. In many cases, it starts with a Feature and gradually expands to include more.
It was similar for the general contractor Otto Mühlherr. The management quickly recognized the benefits of comprehensive construction management software for the company. Without switching between applications, the following tasks are now completed in 123onsite:
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Digital Time Tracking Instead of Time Sheets
In 2018, the 123onsite app was introduced for Time tracking. The goal was to eliminate manually filled time sheets in order to have the times available just-in-time for payroll accounting and post-calculation without media disruption. The introduction began with the younger, IT-savvy foremen so that they could optimally support their colleagues in handling the system. After about a year, all commercial employees were equipped with smartphones and the 123onsite app. During the implementation process, the usability was constantly optimized.
Documentation of Construction Site Progress
As precise documentation of the construction process becomes increasingly important, foremen document the construction site progress with photos in the system and link this with the construction site report and the current weather report. This has the advantage that the photos and construction site reports are all stored on the server and can be accessed at any time without lengthy searching. The company can also document proper work at the push of a button for the client, expert, or inspection body in case of damage.
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More InformationWhen introducing the system, Otto Mühlherr still had its own expense system, as drivers, for example, received extra compensation based on the kilometer radius. This could be mapped in the construction site solution. Peter Heinz comments on this: “Since 2023, there has been distance-dependent travel time compensation in the main construction trade. We now use the Feature integrated into the app for this purpose.”
High Personal Interest Motivates
Managing Director Peter Heinz also explains: “When personal interests are high, such as with deployment planning or vacation planning, the app is quickly adopted.” Thus, the employees responsible for personnel planning in the office assign their industrial colleagues to individual crews and construction sites. They can now check on their smartphones at any time which construction site they are working on, who the foreman is, etc. This eliminates numerous calls to the office. They can also quickly check whether their vacation has been approved or not. “If there’s a long weekend, you can quickly enter a day of vacation from the kitchen table while talking with your family”, says Heinz. This is well-received by the employees.
Mapping Employee Skills in 123onsite
Otto Mühlherr was also pleased when they learned that a new Feature had been integrated into the application. With the Feature Skills, the construction company can now map important skills, authorizations, certificates, licenses, or qualifications of their employees in 123onsite. A long-awaited wish had come true for Otto Mühlherr, because with a workforce of 120 people, it’s no longer possible to keep track of each individual’s qualifications in one’s head, while simultaneously organizing recurring deadlines for renewing or refreshing certificates and credentials.
In Skills, craft and construction businesses enter the skills and qualifications of their personnel in the personnel data of the digital construction site management solution. Here, companies define, for example, which employee has a first aid certificate, a specific driver’s license class, or other certificates and authorizations. Titles, time periods, expiration dates, or warnings are freely definable. Supporting documents, certificates, or photos can also be added.
Approximately 20 Hours Saved Weekly
When asked about the potential savings, Managing Director Peter Heinz explains: “We save about 20 hours weekly now that the data is available digitally.” Previously, the information sometimes had to be entered twice for the payroll system and for the post-calculation of construction sites, but now this is done systematically in one step. And the responsible office staff can use the saved time for other tasks.
If construction sites run for longer than six months, this establishes a new permanent establishment. Thus, the municipality where the construction site is located acquires a trade tax claim. Therefore, Otto Mühlherr must prove each year how many hours were worked there by the respective employees. “The fact that this information is now available at the touch of a button since the introduction of 123onsite is an immense relief and time-saver”, explains Peter Heinz. The company also feels well-equipped with the digital construction solution to comply with the obligation for statutory Time tracking.
Peter Heinz
Managing Director
123onsite means simply time savings uncomplicated for me!
Peter Heinz
Managing Director
Otto Mühlherr Baugesellschaft mbH
About Otto Mühlherr Baugesellschaft mbH
Since its founding in 1951, Otto Mühlherr has developed from a small construction company into one of the leading providers of turnkey industrial and residential construction in Upper Franconia. Together with a subsidiary, the owner-managed company employs around 120 people in the areas of turnkey construction, industrial, commercial and engineering buildings, as well as civil engineering and road construction. While the focus in the 1950s was on quickly creating living space and providing infrastructure, today the company places great emphasis on high quality in execution, careful use of natural resources, and building and maintaining long-term customer relationships. As a family business, they have been working for the same clients for up to three generations in some cases.
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Image credits: 123onsite/Timo Lutz Werbefotografie.
